Compare towns
Bath vs Brewer vs Meredith vs Brunswick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bath | Brewer | Meredith | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,652 |
6,758Lowest |
22,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$74,952±$6k 7% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$376,300±$15k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,469±$99Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Brunswick and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,756 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #62 of 120 in NH | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brewer High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Brunswick High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.0 |
11.1 |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.